The aims of the graduate program in sociology are to educate students in the principles, theories, and methods of sociology; train them in an area of specialization; and create skilled professional teachers and researchers. Faculty in the department are active in producing both quality research and instruction. Graduate students have many opportunities for funding and involvement in research activities. Graduate students may also have opportunities to obtain experience in teaching undergraduate courses (as needed to support the department's course offerings) during the second year of their program.

The Department of Sociology currently offers an MS degree.

The Sociology Department admits an average of eight to twelve students to the master’s program each fall semester. Full-time students making good progress in the program are expected to finish a master’s degree in two years.

Chair: Richard B. MillerGraduate Coordinator: Ben Gibbs

Resources & Opportunity:

The Department of Sociology utilizes as valuable resources the School of Family Life, the survey computer lab, the college computing lab, graduate fellowships, and the Kennedy Center for International Studies. Funding and research opportunities can be sought through the Kennedy Center, Graduate Studies, and other campus and disciplinary entities, as well as through the department.

Faculty research interests cover a broad spectrum of social science research. However, the make-up of the department faculty generates most research in the following areas: family, stratification, social organization and change, ethnicity, community and delinquency.

For a more detailed description of the graduate program requirements, send for a copy of the department’s bulletin or see our Web page at http://sociology.byu.edu.

Financial Assistance:

The Department of Sociology offers graduate teaching and research assistantships. These are semester-long appointments with an expectation of twenty hours of work per week. Renewal of an assistantship is based on making satisfactory progress in the graduate program each semester. Financial assistance is also available through other agencies in the university.